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The first of 30 Greenpeace activists arrested after a protest over Arctic oil drilling has left Russia, the environmental group said on Thursday, with all expected to get clearance to leave Russia by Friday.

INTENSE BARGAINING was under way last night in the highest echelons of Russian power over who should lead the nation out of an economic, political and social crisis before it is too late. Both chief player and hostage at the heart of the deal-making was Viktor Chernomyrdin, the apparatchik whom Boris Yeltsin hauled back as prime minister in despair, prompting speculation that the Kremlin had run out of solutions.

HOPES OF an early resolution to the Russian financial crisis were fading last night despite reassurances from Russia's new Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, that a $40bn debt restructuring package would not discriminate against foreigners.

THE NEW Russian Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, gave the green light last night to a plan to restructure $40bn of government short- term debt and put the country back on a firmer financial footing.

RUSSIA WAS plunged into profound political turmoil last night after Boris Yeltsin sacked his Prime Minister, Sergei Kiriyenko, only four months after he was confirmed in office and, with him, the entire government.

Europe's two biggest oil companies separately announced $1.7bn (pounds 1bn) of investments in Russia to develop the country's vast oil and gas reserves. The moves are the first by Western oil companies since Russia relaxed restrictions on foreign investment in its oil industry.

The French oil company Total has signed a $2bn gas contract with Iran. This is a challenge to the US, which is committed to take sanctions against firms dealing with Tehran. A combustible transatlantic trade dispute is hotting up.

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